Mt. Lebanon teacher gets probation for ‘sexting’ student

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A former Mt. Lebanon teacher, Jason Greenawalt, 33, of Brookline, entered a guilty plea Aug. 18, in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, to a felony charge of criminal use of communication, and a misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.

Greenawalt was suspended without pay by the Mt. Lebanon School District May 20.

He was sentenced immediately after his plea to three-years probation, and was ordered to have no contact with the victim. He will not be required to register as a sexual offender through Megan’s Law.

Greenawalt was initially charged by police with a felony count of unlawful contact with a minor. However, that charge was dropped in exchange for his plea.

Greenawalt exchanged messages beginning with a then Mt. Lebanon High School sophomore that he had directed in musicals in his job as a music educator, police said. The texting continued until the boy graduated in 2012. There was no physical contact.

“Mr. Greenawalt was immediately removed from the classroom when the district first learned of the allegations in early March, 2013,” said Cissy Bowman, district spokeswoman. “His employment has since been terminated.”